contact mick at mickdouglas dot net
EDUCATION
PhD (practice-based research) RMIT University: “carriage: cultural transports and transformations of a socially-engaged public art practice”, 2010
Master of Arts: “a tracking vehicle: an inquiry into the art of design and the design of art in public space”, 1997
Bachelor of Arts (Industrial Design) 1986
ART IN THE PUBLIC REALM PROJECTS
2013-2015
Movement Forms of an Island Continent
Artistic Director of the Australasian element in the Performance Studies International global project Fluid States.
2013
Shuttle: mobile desert performance
A collection of international artists, designers, performance makers and researchers journey through the deserts of the American south-west performing an exploration of the aesthetic, political, cultural and environmental resonances of desert ecologies. Includes public encounters at Exploded View artist-run space Tucson, at Stanford University Palo Alto, and Tucson Museum of Art. A project with Beth Weinstein.
AutoYard Walk
A live art public interactive performance over two days, as part of Value Encounter 1: 10hours 67 minutes friendship, in artisti-run project space 1067 PacificPeople, Brooklyn New York. A journey of human and non-human patterns unfold in a auto-service district being encroached into by the arts and economic development.
Container Walk
A live art public interactive performance over four days, where the artist walks on a bed of seasalt for the duration of the Performance Arcade festival of Wellington New Zealand in the distances of an open shipping container. A journey of human and non-human patterns unfold as personal and public experiences gather momentum one foot after another.
2011
Piyar zindai hai . Karachi
a one-night performance tour of the city exploring how citizens move about their lives at a time of unpredictable violence and social anxiety, featuring a mobile video installation on a decorated truck and two passenger-carrying mini-buses pauses in public locations, curated by Durriya Kazi, University of Karachi, 3/4/2011.
2008-2010
Live House
a mobile performance platform project, in collaboration with residents of an inner city Melbourne government Housing Estate, exploring mobility, migration and housing.
2006-2010
ride-on-dinner
with Cultural Transports Collective: a swarm of cyclists lead on an urban meal adventure, part of West Brunswick Sculpture Triennial, Melbourne 2009; Urban Interior Occupation at Craft Victoria gallery, Melbourne 2008; Transported Conference and Pedal Powered Vehicle Workshop, RMIT University Melbourne 2006.
2006-2007
W-11 TRAM: an art of journeys
temporary public project exploring journeys of dialogue, performance and hospitality undertaken on a tram transformed by vehicle decorators from Karachi and with onboard performing hosts and guests, operating one night per week over a 20week summer season in Melbourne.
2006
W11 Street Screening
One night public screen installation on a half-closed main road in Allah Wali, North Karachi, sharing events of the W11 Tram project in Melbourne to an audience of W11 decorators, drivers, conductors and passengers.
2006
W-11 TRAM: Karachi to Melbourne
temporary public project involving transforming a Melbourne tram in collaboration with Karachi vehicle decorators, circling the Melbourne city centre for 12 days with onboard performing hosts. Commissioned by the cultural festival of the 2006 Commonwealth Games, carrying 80,000 passengers for free.
2005
shared lung
temporary participatory public project changing the Kolkata tram conductors uniform for one day.
2001
tramjatra: imagining Melbourne & Kolkata by tram-ways
multi-disciplinary inter-cultural public project bringing artists and tramways communities together to produce two temporary public art events, Kolkata (Calcutta) India (Feb) & Melbourne (Nov). See the book “tramjatra”.
2000
Grooving: Negotiating the Rhythm of a Resonant Melbournian Groove
street performance-objects – with RMIT design students, for Melbourne Moomba festival.
1998
Flightvan
Temporary public installation at Melbourne’s major civic intersection for project Caravan-poetic, curated by Neil Thomas, for the Melbourne International Festival of the Arts.
Melcutta (Melbourne Calcutta tramways friendship)
Temporary installation on a Melbourne service tram.
1997
Calbourne (Melbourne Calcutta tramways friendship)
Installation transformation of a Calcutta service tram during Durgha Puja festival.
1995
Tracking: An Art Project on the Melbourne Tramways
with Lawrence Wallen, tramways workers and public transport users, on service trams & exhibition at Linden Gallery, Melbourne.
1994
The Regent Theatre / City Square
projection installation, Regent Theatre Foyer, No-Vacancy Temporary Galleries, Melbourne.
1993
Portraits and Weather
Permanent installation in collaboration with Geoff Lowe at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) Southern Stand.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2009
What makes this poem beautiful? Curated by Elizabeth Newman, Margaret Lawrence Gallery (Victorian College of the Arts), June.
urban interior occupation, with Urban Interior research group, Guildford Lane gallery, Melbourne
2008
urban interior occupation, with Urban Interior research group, Craft Victoria gallery, Melbourne
Axis Bold As Love, video salon by A Constructed World, Le CAPC musée d’art contemporain de Bordeaux
Urban Liveability 1, curated by SueAnne Ware, Yarra Sculpture Gallery, Melbourne
2007
bespoke (art exhibition of the Bicycle Film Festival), Mori Gallery, Sydney.
2006
W11 Karachi 2 Melbourne, with Wajid Ali, Nusrat Iqbal, Karen Trist & Marsha Berry,
exhibition of video and photographs from the Melbourne project, VM Art Gallery, Rangoonwala Community Centre, Karachi.
2005
reach out, with Lizzy Newman, Lena Douglas & Rachel Douglas, Dudespace, Melbourne
salvage, curated by Lizzy Newman, ClubsProject Inc., Melbourne
2004
multiple Miscellaneous, organised/curated by Bianca Hester, ClubsProject Inc., Melbourne.
2002
Fluid Architecture
collaborator with Lucy Orta, artist residency project with City of Melbourne, with St Vincent de Paul’s Ozanam Drop-In Centre program and VUT performing arts students, Drill Hall, Melbourne
1999
Forgotten Places
with Neil Thomas & Katy Bowman, Girder Institute (Melbourne Fringe Gallery)
1998
The Bridge – (Pile-On)
collaborative building installation with RMIT students, curated by David H. Thomas, Theosophical Society building, Melbourne
1995
My Time: Travels Through Lunch, Waiting & Art
Collaborative project featuring a tour of interactive objects, ICI staff cafeteria Yarraville, Department of Social Security Lunchrooms Footscray, West Space Gallery, Melbourne.
1994
Public Sphere: Personal Vision, Public Space, curated by Kevin Wilson, Linden Gallery – St Kilda Arts Centre, Melbourne
VIDEO PROJECTS
2010
LiveHouse
Video traces of the LiveHouse open performance over a summer season at a Melbourne inner city government housing estate.
2008
motion grit: movements of a city
video exploring patterning and haptic experiences in the city of Melbourne via modes of transport
2006
Piyar Zindagi Hai / love is life
video from the first season of the project ‘W11 Tram: An art of Journeys’ commissioned by the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, 12minutes DVD, public screenings to date in Melbourne, Karachi, Delhi.
1996
Tracking Between Melbourne & Calcutta
Video by Mick Douglas documenting an art activism project led by Michael Douglas and Roberto D’Andrea, 9minutes SVHS, given public screenings to date in Melbourne, Calcutta, Ahmedabad, Amsterdam, Karachi.
1998
a – tv: an artwork for television
video in collaboration with Elizabeth Newman for ArtRage, video art project for Australian Broadcasting Commission ABC television, 2minutes SVHS, aired nationally.
1995
A Tracking Vehicle
video from an installation in collaboration with Lawrence Wallen, 10minutes SVHS, first exhibited at Linden Gallery Melbourne, and subsequently given public screenings to date in Melbourne, Calcutta, Ahmedabad, Amsterdam, Karachi.
ORGANISER/CURATOR OF PUBLIC PROJECTS
2006-2007
W-11 Tram, Melbourne & Karachi
1997-2010
Tramjatra: imagining Melbourne & Kolkata by tramways
2006
Pedal Powered Vehicles Workshop, exhibition / demonstration at Sustainable Living Festival, Federation Square, Melbourne.
1999
Mel-can-do Consumers Good, installation exhibition of comic products in Myer Melbourne Burke St Mall windows, Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
1998
Flightvan 2, temporary public art installation, Melbourne International Festival of the Arts.
1997
Imaginary Interface, City Art Public Space – Grand Central Gallery, Melbourne.
1996
Divider – Shifter: Conceptual Design Tools, City Art Public Space Grand Central Gallery, Melbourne.
20 x Process, West Space Gallery, Melbourne.
1995
The Emblematic Process, City Art Public Space Grand Central Gallery, Melbourne.
An Artery of Melbourne, Platform 2, Degraves Street Underpass, Melbourne.
1994
The Leisure Act, 1997, Platform 2, Degraves Street Underpass, Melbourne.
BOOKS
Mick Douglas (ed.), tramjatra: imagining Melbourne & Kolkata by tramways, Delhi: Yoda Press and Melbourne: RMIT University Press, 2005.
Mick Douglas (ed.), Invention Intervention, Melbourne: RMIT University Press, 2004.
BOOK CHAPTERS
Mick Douglas, ‘Actively social’, in Dodd, M. et al (ed’s.) Live Projects: designing with people, Melbourne: RMIT University Press, forthcoming 2012.
Mick Douglas, ‘Situating social contingency: mobility and socially-engaged public art’, in Hinkel, Rochus (ed), Urban Interior: informal explorations, interventions and occupations, Baunach Germany: Spurbuchverlag, 2011, p45-60.
Mick Douglas, ‘Tracing Tramjatra: Toward a Participatory Aesthetic Politics’, in Bandyopadhyay, Deb N. & Browne, Paul & Conti, Christopher (eds) Landscape, Place and Culture: Linkages between Australia and India, Delhi: Cambridge Scholars Press, 2011, pp. 176-197.
Mick Douglas, ‘Cultural Transports at Play’, in Rainbird, Sarah (ed) Harmonic Tremors: Aesthetic Interventions in the Public Sphere, Melbourne: Gasworks Arts Park, 2009: p45-51.
Mick Douglas, ‘Forward’, in Mick Douglas (ed) tramjatra: imagining Melbourne & Kolkata by tramways, Delhi: Yoda Press and Melbourne: RMIT University Press, 2005: p2-11.
Mick Douglas, ‘Invention Intervention’, in Mick Douglas (ed) Invention Intervention, Melbourne: RMIT University Press, 2004: p5-13.
REFEREED JOURNAL ARTICLES / PAPERS
Mick Douglas & Rochus Urban Hinkel,
‘Atmospheres and occasions of informal urban practice’, Architectural Theory Review, Vol. 16, issue 3, 2011, p259-277.
Mick Douglas, ‘uncertain occupations: cultural transport at play’, in Terry Meade (ed)
Occupation: Negotiations with Constructed Space, University of Brighton, 2010.
Mick Douglas, ‘Other Ways With Wheels’, Thinking on Two Wheels Cycling Conference proceedings 2007, University of South Australia.
Michael Douglas, ‘Imagining transports of sustainability’, International Journal of the Humanities, Vol. 1, 2003, article HC03-0104-2003.
Michael Douglas, ‘Tracking a tram-way of knowing: Poetic search & speculative design’ , Design plus Research: Proceedings of the Politechnico di Milano Conference May 1 –20 2000, Eds. S. Pizzocaro, A. Arruda, D. De Moraes, Politechnico di Milano, p. 139-145.
Michael Douglas, “Manufacturing Freedom & The Return to Nature” Transition 44/45 1994, p144 -149.
Michael Douglas, “The Product of Music” The Interior, Vol 1, No 3, 1992.
OTHER WRITING
“Like a thump on the head” – review of Lucy Orta Melbourne residency RealTime 49 June/July 2002, p 23. http://www.realtimearts.net/rt49/douglas.html
“The Museum of Modern Oddities is Open” introduction in Katy Bowman & Neil Thomas The Museum of Modern Oddities, Axolyte Press, Melbourne 2001.
“Performance Code for a Tracking Vehicle” Dialogue No. 12 ‘Civic’, August 1999, p. 100-103.
“Get the Picture” catalogue text for exhibition ‘Infotainment’, Brett Jones & Sarah Stubbs, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne 1995.
PUBLICATIONS ABOUT
Fiona Wilkie, ‘Moving sites: site-specific performance and the mobility turn’, Contemporary Theatre Review, forthcoming 2012.
Suzie Attiwill, Ride-On-Dinner, Artichoke 27, 2009, p66-67.
Stephen Muecke, “Momentum: Fictocritical Writing,” in Cultural Theory in Everyday Practice, Edited by Nicole Anderson & Katrina Schlunke, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 2008, pp 287-295; and in Joe in the Andamans and Other Fictocritical Stories, Sydney: Local Consumption Publications, 2008 ISSN 978-0-949793-33-1. pp106-115
Neal Haslem, ‘Love is life’, Typotastic, vol. 1 issue 3. University of Tasmania, 2007, pp25-32. ISSN 1832-8970
Marie Sierra, ‘tramjatra: book review’ in Art Monthly, no. 191, July 2006, pp18-20.
Sukanta Chaudhuri, book review of ‘tramjatra’ Biblio: A Review of Books Vol. XI NOS. 5 & 6, May- June 2006, (a Delhi based journal) www.biblio-india.com
Gayatri Spivak, ‘made for a hybrid viewer’ in tramjatra: imagining Melbourne & Kolkata by tramways, Delhi: Yoda Press and Melbourne: RMIT University Press, 2005, pp202-207.
Marie Sierra, “Public Transport and Pedalling as Public Art: The Work of Mick Douglas”, Thinking the Future: Art, Design and Creativity: ACUADS 2006 Conference,
Suzie Attiwill, ‘passage’ in tramjatra: imagining Melbourne & Kolkata by tramways, Delhi: Yoda Press and Melbourne: RMIT University Press, 2005, pp140-151.
John Thackara, ‘Speed’, in John Thackara In the Bubble: Designing in a Complex World, Cambridge Massachusetts: MIT Press, 2005, pp29-50.
Mantej Singh, ‘Indian home cooked dinner and the CCD cuisine’, in Scott O’Hara (ed.), Artwork issue 56, 2003.
Suzie Attiwill, ‘tramjatra’ (daily p3 newspaper column) The Statesman – Kolkata, from 20 Feb to 31 March 2001.
Kevin Murray, ‘tram ways’, The Age Saturday Extra, 3 Nov. 2001, p3.
ACADEMIC RESEARCH SUPERVISION
Performative hermeneutics, PHD RMIT, Ceri Hann, in progress
Gleaning potential, Master of Design by project (Industrial Design) RMIT, Simon Lloyd 2009.
Engaging Space: a practice of arranging, Master of Design by project (Interior Design) RMIT, Sharn Lim 2007,
Scenarios for the public bicycle in Melbourne, Master of Design by project (Industrial Design) RMIT, Ban Hsi Liu, 2005. (1st Prize Bicycle Victoria Research Award 2006).
Susbaba: (design of portable energy and a new role of environmental advocacy for backpackers) Master of Design by project (Industrial Design) RMIT, Ori BenZvi, 2005. (awarded 2nd prize in Utopia 04 international design competition, Paris).
Contemplative chambers: the design of semi-immersive virtual reality environments, Master of Design by project (Industrial Design) RMIT, Jonathon Duckworth 2002 (received RMIT Research Award 2002).
The role of the Organic in Industrial Design, Master of Design by thesis (Industrial Design) RMIT, Kathy Fox 2002.
ACADEMIC TEACHING ROLES
2004-2011
Senior Lecturer, School of Architecture & Design RMIT University
2006-2010
Guest lecturer, Cosmopolitanism & Transnationalism, University of Melbourne
Guest lecturer, Public Art, RMIT University
2000-2003
Research Coordinator Industrial Design, School of Architecture & Design RMIT University
1999
Acting Program Director (Projects), Industrial Design Program
1993-1998
Lecturer in experimental design, Industrial Design Program
1994
teacher trainer, indigenous design skills and knowledge, Centre for Appropriate Technology, Alice Spring
PUBLIC LECTURES & PRESENTATIONS
“I don’t know but I do”, Social Practice in the Arts seminar, VCA University of Melbourne, 7 May 2013.
“Performing Mobility”, Mobility forum, University of Arizona, Tucson 11 April 2013.
“Performing mobility and the potential of socially-engaged art”, Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, New York 4 April 2013
“Carriage”, Art Forum lecture, University of Tasmania School of the Arts, Hobart March 2013.
“Going Nowhere”, pecha kutca Melbourne, ArtHouse 23 Nov. 2012.
Co-convenor, Performing Mobilities Network, Queen Mary, University of London, June 2012.
“Performing Mobilities of co-creation”, Performance Studies International conference #18 ‘performance-culture-industry’, University of Leeds, 2012.
Art, Money + Society roundtable member, School of Culture & Communication University of Melbourne, 7 June 2012.
Public Art, Spatial Practices and the City, panel discussant, Architects for Peace, Panel Discussion, Melbourne May 2012.
Arts & Cultural Management in Asia, seminar guest speaker, School of Culture & Communication University of Melbourne, March 2012 + March 2013.
Art in Public Space, lecture series, RMIT University School of Art, March 2012 and 2013.
‘Situating Social Contingency’, School of Performance Studies, Roehampton University London, 24 May 2011.
‘Carriage’, Centre for Cultural Studies, Goldsmiths College University of London, 23 May 2011.
‘carriage: performing cultural transports and transformations’, Camillo 2.0: Performance Studies international conference #16, University of Utrecht, 25-29 May 2011.
‘Socially engaged public art’, University of Karachi Department of Visual Studies, Karachi, 28 March 2011.
‘Piyar Zindagi Hai: socially engaged public art’, VASL artists collective, Karachi, 5 April 2011.
Melbourne Cycling Forum, State of Design Festival, BMW Edge Federation Square Melbourne 24 July 2010.
‘art and cosmopolitan urban experience’ seminar lecture for postgrad course ‘From Cosmopolitanism to Transnationalism’ at Australia Centre, University of Melbourne, May 2010.
‘Cultural Transport: platforms connecting the arts and transportation’, Deakin Innovation lecture, Melbourne Town Hall, 11 June 2008.
‘The cosmopolitan artist: new networks and practices’ seminar lecture for postgrad course ‘From Cosmopolitanism to Transnationalism’ at Australia Centre, University of Melbourne, May 2008.
‘Transport as a Cultural Experience’, presentation at Architects for Peace 2007 public forum ‘Transported’, Melbourne, 1 Sept 2007.
‘An Art of Mobility, Hospitality, Tolerance & Response-Ability’, seminar at Australia Centre, University of Melbourne, 10 May 2007.
‘Street-food Cycles’, conference presentation at Doors of Perception, India Habitat Centre, Delhi, March 2007.
‘Cultural Transport and an art of journeys’, keynote conference presentation at MediaWala Festival, British Council, Delhi, March 2007.
‘Cultural Transport’, conference presentation, ‘Contention or Consensus: A national symposium of art in public space and social change’, Gasworks Arts Park Melbourne, 12 Oct 2006.
“Pedal your Power”, guest lecture, Department of Visual Studies, University of Karachi, Pakistan, Sept 2006.
“Cultural transports”, guest lecture, Visual Art, Design and Multimedia Department, Victoria University, 20 July 2006.
“Competition and cultural difference”, guest speaker, Festival Melbourne2006 Commonwealth Games public forum, BMW Edge Federation Square, Melbourne, 19 March 2006.
“Public transport, art, event”, guest lecture, Public Art postgraduate program, RMIT, 9 March 2006.
“Pakistan bus hits Melbourne tram”, invited artists talk, Axes Art Space, Melbourne, 21 May 2006.
“Pulling faces on a tram”, guest speaker, launch of Alstom tram design competition hosted by Lab 3000, Melbourne, 7 March 2006.
“Moving through art in the public realm”, guest lecture, Public Art postgraduate program, RMIT, 25 May 2006.
“The Art of Transport”, guest lecture with Durriya Kazi, AsiaLink – Sidney Myer Asia Centre Melbourne, 10 March 2006.
“Tracking Tramjatra”, guest lecture, SARAI Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi, 15 Sept 2005.
“Crossings of art and design”, guest lecture, Department of Visual Studies, University of Karachi, Pakistan, 19 Sept 2005.
‘Mobility’, presenter & convenor, City of Melbourne / RMIT University / Victorian College of the Arts forum as part of “Fluid Architecture’ project with Lucy Orta, Melbourne 2002
“Tramjatra” guest lecture, Doors of Perception, Convention Centre Amsterdam, 2000, available under ‘content’ at
“Networks and Tram-ways” conference presentation, Doors of Perception, National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, India, 2000.
“Tracking a tram-way of knowing: poetic search & speculative design”, conference presentation, Design plus Research, Politechnico di Milano, 2000.
“Possibilities for Industrial Design”, guest lecture University of Karachi, Pakistan, 2000
“Speculations on the Design Education Project”, conference presentation, Re-inventing Design Education in the University, Curtin University, Perth, 2000.
“Tracking the City”, guest lecture, RMIT Storey Hall, Melbourne, 1999.
“Allegorical Structure and Design Studio Learning”, conference presentation, Design Education Council of Australia, UNSW, Sydney, 1999.
“Tracking Between Calcutta and Melbourne”, keynote presentation, Art & Community Conference, Melbourne town hall, Melbourne 1999.
‘A dialogue of movement’, Transport Forum discussion paper, Max Mueller Bhavan, Calcutta. 17 Oct 1997.
‘Public Sphere Personal Vision’, invited panel presenter, St Kilda Arts Centre, Melbourne 1995
POSTGRADUATE EXAMINER
The Bersila Workstation, Abdul Aziz Zalay, University of Tasmania PhD by creative practice-based research, 2013.
Diaries of a Traveller: creating innovation in mobile game design through the application of procedural content, Luiz O. P. dos Santos, Massey University Master of Design (Media Design) by project, 2013.
SkyLux: using light to improve health and wellbeing, Lisa Gabel, Massey University Master of Design (Spatial Design) by project, 2013.
An Open Invitation to Design, Nicholas Graham, Massey University Master of Design (Industrial Design) by project, 2013.
Silver Strider: Enhancing the independence and mobility for the elderly and disabled, Harry West Henriksen, Massey University Master of Design (Industrial Design) by project, 2013.
Dialogues, Nick Kapica, Massey University Master of Design (Communication Design) by project, 2013.
Making Waves: a design concept for reactive tsunami education, Klaus Kremer, Massey University Master of Design (Media Design) by project, 2013.
Furnishing a Narrative, Sophie Norris, Massey University Master of Design (Spatial Design) by project, 2013.
the endless book: tactics in publication design, Anna Brown, Massey University Master of Design (Communication Design) by project, 2012.
make a move: learning support for ADHD children, Brigid Burnham, Massey University Master of Design (Industrial Design) by project, 2012.
in it for the money: visualization strategies for the global financial crisis, James Findlater, Massey University Master of Design (Media Design) by project, 2012.
capital letters: the self-directed tour exploring typography in the built environment, Laura Haughan, Massey University Master of Design (Communication Design) by project, 2012.
the bathroom: customized spatial design, Lorna Smith, Massey University Master of Design (Spatial Design) by project, 2012.
Mao and me: fashioning the self and fashion design, Aihua Wei, Massey University Master of Design (Fashion Design) by project, 2012.
move hands like clouds: the social sustainability of Tai Chi practice, Lee Whiterod, Massey University Master of Design (Communication Design) by project, 2012.
GROUPS/COMMITTEES
Co-Founder, Urban Interior Research group, 2007-
Founder, Cultural Transports Collective, 2006-
Founder, Tramtactic, 2000-
Chair, Arts Victoria: Organisations Annual Operations Panel, 2007-2009
Member, City of Melbourne: Public Art Advisory Committee, 2007-2009
Member, Docklands Cultural Development Advisory Group, 2008-2009
PROJECT LINKS
LiveHouse – a collaborative arts project: www.livehouse.net.au
Tramtactic – a non-organisation for tram-based arts projects: www.tramtactic.net
Ride on Dinner – an experiment in hospitality and sustainability: www.ride-on-dinner.net
Pedal-Powered Vehicle Workshop – an experiment in mobile pedagogy: pedalpvw.blogspot.com